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Alie Rodriguez and her mother Kim Dessert have dreamed of owning a business together for as long as Rodriguez can remember.
Just a few months ago, the duo made that dream come true with the opening of Ink & Thread, a clothing and book shop.
“It has been a longtime dream of ours to own and build a business together and we’re thrilled to be making that dream a reality here in East Longmeadow,” said Rodriguez of their business located at 56 Shaker Rd.
“This is the first business that we are building from the ground up,” noted Rodriguez. “We were inspired by some of our close friends and family who have built businesses, especially my grandparents, who built a successful company of their own over 50 years ago.”
Rodriguez had a career in public relations and worked on and off in retail for many years.
“One of my first retail jobs was working at Barnes & Noble and most recently I held a part-time position at my favorite boutique in Northampton, 25 Central,” she said. “The owner of that shop quickly became a friend and mentor to me. She is the one who showed me the ropes of boutique ownership — I am immensely grateful for her help and friendship.”
Dessert is a full-time early childhood educator.
“She is the one who instilled a love of reading in my sister and me from a young age,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said growing up, shopping with her mother and sister was one of her favorite things to do.
“It didn’t matter if we were shopping for a specific outfit or just shopping to see what was new, we always had fun finding unique pieces to add to our wardrobe,” she said. “As I got older, I quickly realized that we didn’t have fun just shopping, we had such a good time because we were together. That feeling of togetherness has become a cornerstone for Ink & Thread. We want our shop to be a place where friends and family can come together, shop and just have fun.”
Rodriguez and Dessert often find themselves discussing books and wanted to bring books into their shop as a way to bring people together.
“Sharing what books are on your to-be-read list is always a great conversation starter,” said Rodriguez. “Let’s be honest, there is no better feeling than striking up a conversation with someone who loved — or hated — the same book that you did. So, when we sat down and thought about how we were going to make our shop unique, incorporating books and some of our favorite authors was a no-brainer.”
Since opening in May 2025, the book – or ink – part of Ink & Thread has grown and allowed the mother-daughter team to do some really fun things.
“For example, we recently wrapped up a ‘Summer Reading Challenge’ where customers stopped by the shop and picked up a postcard that they could fill out with the three books they read between June [and] August, said Rodriguez. “Those that filled out the card brought it back and were entered into a gift card giveaway. It was so fun to see what everyone was reading this summer, and talking to customers about their favorite books has helped us find new titles and authors to carry.”
Ink & Thread has a “Bring Your Own Book Club, known as the BYOB(ook) Club.”
Rodriguez said all are welcome and participants should bring whatever book they are currently reading.
“Folks can either take some time to read or shop before we sit down as a group and chat about our current reads,” she said. “This book club has been a really great way to meet new people and learn about new books and authors. Our October book club will meet Oct. 23 at 6 p.m.”
Ink & Thread also hosts book clubs at the shop.
“We understand that sometimes hosting can be a lot, or maybe some groups are looking for something new and fun to do with their book club — so we are happy to take the reins and welcome groups to our space,” said Rodriguez. “If anyone is looking for a new book club to join, the Western Mass Book Babes typically hosts their monthly book club meet-ups at Ink & Thread.”
All items for sale in the shop are new, including a small selection of books, clothes and accessories to keep the shop fresh with new inventory.
“This approach keeps things fun for our customers who can always find something new no matter when they last visited. And it’s fun for us too since we’re always looking for and bringing in cute clothes and interesting books,” said Rodriguez.
If shopping is something that might overwhelm you, Rodriguez suggested stopping by on a weekend when both she and her mother are at the store.
“We’re always eager to help customers try something new and find their next favorite outfit or book — it’s the best part of our jobs,” she said. “That is really what makes us unique. You will always find something new when you come to Ink & Thread. Whether it be our high-quality clothing that makes you feel cool, confident and excited about what you’re wearing — all while staying in an affordable price range. Or maybe you come in and discover a new author or book that you’ll recommend to your friends at book club.”
Ink & Thread carries mostly fiction books — thrillers, historical fiction, romance and feel-good storytelling — with an emphasis on new releases from authors that excite the shop owners.
“When we first opened, we brought in the new releases of some of our favorite authors like Nicholas Sparks, Nora Roberts, Michael Connelly and Emily Henry,” Rodriguez said. “It’s been great to see that we have a lot of customers who share our love for the suspense and thriller genre. We carry books from authors such as Ruth Ware, Riley Sager, and Freida McFadden — whose new book, ‘The Intruder,’ will be at the shop on Oct. 7.”
Ink & Thread also hosts small, local businesses for pop-up shops.
“Supporting small businesses has always been important to my mom and me. So, early in the days of planning the shop we knew we wanted to welcome other businesses who might not have a storefront as a fun way to both spread the word about Ink & Thread and give them the opportunity to set up shop for the day and get their names out there too,” said Rodriguez.
In addition to hosting pop-up shops, the women have also worked with the East Longmeadow and Wilbraham chapters of the Mom Walk Collective to host and sponsor different events focused on moms and kids.
“After I had my son last year, I found this community of wonderful ladies who supported me throughout the tough postpartum months and beyond — some have even become new friends,” Rodriguez said. “It’s been great to collaborate with this group and we look forward to hosting more events with them later this year.”
Ink & Thread, located at 56 Shaker Rd. in East Longmeadow, is open Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Customers can learn more about the shop and see weekly new arrivals on Instagram, @shop_inkandthread.
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